Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Athlon Helos BTR Gen 2?

I'm looking at this in the 4-20X50 to put on my 6mm Creedmoor. I know the 2-12X42 seems to be a more popular optic around here. I'm just wondering if anyone has anything they don't like about the 4-20X50 before I buy one? I know they're made in China already.

I'm using the 3-12X40 Talos Mil-Dot on my .22 lr and WMR rifles, and I've been very happy with them. I got both optics second hand, and so far the adjustments move when and where I tell them to. I've only been dialing between 25 and 100 yards with the rimfires but they do RTZ very well. I don't think I paid more than $125 each for them, and I'd probably buy a bunch at that price.

Have had one on my 7WSM for little over a year. Glass is pretty good, tracking has been spot on. I like the way the turrets lock. Being FFP the reticle blocks small targets at high magnification, not really wild about that. As a hunting scope it would be fine. Illumination is good too.



Say what you will about made in Chy-na products, Leupold doesn’t come close to this level of scope in this price range.

The 2-12x and 4-20x are VERY different animals. Hint.

I'll greedily take the 2-12x for Utility killing and the '20x is more of a Play Toy. The 12x's reticle is fhuqking FAST and killer in low light,with great illumination. The '20x is none of those things. Hint.




I rather like the 12x on Seex Kreeds. Hint.










Just sayin'.....................

Nice Rifle! Say what you will I do like M70 rifles.

I want the 2-12, but the deal is to good to pass. It's going on a rifle that weighs close to 13 lbs suppressed right now. Main use will be steel and maybe some low volume prairie dog shooting from a bench.

I have a couple of each. BS is right about the size of the 2-12 reticle makes it a bit faster but so far I don’t mind either one.

2-12 if it’s straight hunting and 4-20 if you wanna dot I’s on the range and hunt with it. Both are darned good for my use.

Went ahead with the purchase, now just waiting on the mail.

Was / is someone running a deal on these?

Do I hear my phone ringing???

You will be happy.

the reticle visible at 4x ??

But......I thought these Helos scope failed the dreaded drop test over on Rockslide? How could anyone buy something that failed the end all, be all of scope tests?

I dropped my rifle hunting last year on the scope and it was fine. Granted, just falling from leaning on a tree, but I can't see dropping it further. 2-12 version

It's your money, JG, waste it if you want!

Seriously, I get what you're saying. I still buy scopes that either haven't been drop tested, or didn't pass the drop tests with flying colors. I don't have a problem testing my own scopes to the upper level they might see in use, which is a fall or drop here and there while crawling through swamps and over dead fall in winter conditions, and bouncing around on miles of washboard forest service/logging roads. As such, I'm more inclined to trust scopes that have worked well for me over a few seasons than I am to trust without verifying something I read about on the interwebs; there's just too many influencers with something to gain out there.

I can say that I have had good experiences with a couple of the models that seem to do well on the drop tests.

The major critique I have for the drop tests is that they are comprised of exceedingly small sample sizes. To say one scope of a certain model passed or failed one time, or that one example of a model has done well for X amount of use and abuse, and that those limited data points are definitively indicative of design flaws or soundness is a stretch. There's causation and correlation. It's why I prefer to test and, as a result, have or loose confidence in the scopes and rifles that I own and plan to rely on. To be fair, seems that most internet testers acknowledge this shortfall.


Ancillary conversation: I did notice that a pile of the Athlon 2-12's popped up for sale in various classifieds after the drop test results were put out. Made me chuckle.

Well said Starbuck, I'm right there with you. Yeah, panicking over some internet drop test is laughable at best.

I’ll throw 3rds on that.

If they survive Big Stick they will survive all usage by the average Joe.

Thought I found the perfect dog calling and kid scope in the 2-12. One season of backpack hunting on a lightweight 260 (Creed without the gay) and it lost zero twice. Too bad, pretty much fell in love with that scope. Back to a 2.5-10 NF for kids gun.

It was a deal on open box/demo scopes. I bought the last three the guy had. I'm keeping the one Mil scope, and have buddies that want the two MOA scopes. I didn't buy these from Doug, but the last deal I got through him was awesome.

If you're looking for one of these scopes just call us and mention this forum, we'll make you happy

This. All day, any day ending in "Y"